The present invention relates more particularly to the production of articles or pieces having a covering material consisting of several (at least two) skins of different natures, types constitutions, or different properties.
Its subject matter is a method for joining at least two pieces of different skins, a method for producing an article or component comprising a composite skin and an article or component obtained in this way.
The essential aim of the invention is to improve the aesthetic appearance and the regularity of a joining line or the joint between two pieces of skin with different and/or non-uniform characteristics.
However, when such a composite skin (formed by joining several pieces of skin) is subjected to constrictions, pressure, or tension, particularly during subsequent perfecting procedures, fixing or installing, irregularities and faults are revealed along the linear join area and these reduce the aesthetic appearance of the interface between the two pieces of skin concerned.
Two types of faults can be highlighted: the presence of discontinuity in the structure of the interface in its longitudinal extension (resulting for example from structural discontinuities along the edge of one of the two pieces of skin) and a difference in aspect and/or uncoupling between the two juxtaposed edges at the level of the interface (see FIG. 1).
The problem addressed by the present invention is to propose a solution which makes it possible to eliminate at least the first kind of said fault, and if possible, also the second.
To this effect, the subject matter of the invention is a method for joining at least two portions or sections of clothing or covering materials in the form of pieces of flexible skins, the materials of the two pieces of skin to be joined, as necessary on each occasion, having a similar or different thickness and/or rigidity or folding stiffness, the joining being carried out between and along two edges folded opposite one another and in contact end to end of said pieces of skin, so as to form a joining line, the method being characterized in that it comprises, prior to the formation of the folded edges to be joined and prior to the joining itself, treating at least one or each border edge that is to form a folded edge of one of the two pieces of skin so as to level out its thickness and/or its rigidity or flexibility over the entire longitudinal extension of the border edge(s) concerned, if necessary, by adjusting or adapting it to the thickness and/or the rigidity or flexibility of the other piece of skin to the level of its respective border edge.